


Daily Heartbeat

by OrganOfFlames



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-03-03 02:56:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2835473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrganOfFlames/pseuds/OrganOfFlames
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby and Blake have been dating for a month by now and all seems well, until their luck runs out and the past comes back to catch them... Although, the past does a little more than just catch them...</p><p>Originally on ff.net, the first chapter was published on the 28th of July, 2014.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to Love

Chapter One: Welcome to Love

The day ended like any other for Team RWBY; Weiss tiring her brain from the hours of studying, Yang giggling to at her scroll from messages she's sending and receiving and then Ruby snuggling into Blake's neck with their arms holding each other, bringing their hearts closer together. The moonlight slipped through the poorly cropped curtain, beaming onto the dust that danced across the room. Besides the fairly quiet outbursts from Yang, it was always generally peaceful at this time. Blake's favourite part of this time was when Ruby would slowly fall asleep buried in her embraceful cuddle. Her soft, innocent snoring set the butterflies free in Blake's stomach.

It had been exactly a month since the two girls became more than friends and surprisingly, it was Ruby who asked Blake. They tried to be secretive about it, but Ruby let it all spill out to her sister and naturally Weiss found out by being a part of the same team. After a few days, they let Team JNPR know and then the information was carried from person to person. No one but stuck up snobs and bullies made a big deal about it and to everyone's shock, Weiss was okay with it. They could freely hold hands while walking to class or give a peek to the other when there were no teachers looking. Cuddles and kisses on the lips were kept till they arrived at their dorm room. Ruby was the exact girl Blake had always dreamed of being with. Even after her team discovered her as a Faunus, life was as good as it could be for Blake.

As the sunlight drifted into the room, Blake's eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the light. Her hand left Ruby's back so she could wipe the sleep dust out of her eyes, but before she could reach her eyes, Ruby grasped her arm, still half asleep. "Don't leave…" Ruby mumbled with her eyes closed.

Blake unwillingly gave a heart-warming smile. "We have classes starting soon, we better get ready!" She kissed Ruby lightly on the forehead before slipping out of her grip.

"But… I just want to spend the day in bed, cuddling you!" Ruby moaned, unhappy that she couldn't have her way.

"Alright love birds! You can tone it down until you guys are alone…" Weiss sighed, lifting her head from the plump pillow. Her hair was fairly messy whenever she awoke from her slumber. Yang rolled over, snorting loudly as she pulled her duvet over her head. Blake collected her combat gear and placed in gently onto the corner of her bed, deciding that she probably should fully wake her darling girlfriend up. She cupped one of Ruby's soft cheeks in each hand and pulled her head closer for a fire igniting kiss that would wake up a sleeping beauty such as Ruby was. As their lips met, Ruby awoke immediately, but pretending that she needed it much longer to wake her. Blake didn't mind having to take longer, they had a good three-quarters of an hour before their first class anyway. A loud beep emitting from Yang's scroll became the end of their kiss. Yang awoke in seconds of the noise and instantly started tapping away on her scroll, before jumping down of her bed and dashing for the exit, not caring about her hair or clothing.

"I'm going to get dressed now so Ruby… Stay awake!" Blake laughed, knowing that Ruby would probably fall asleep again. The bathroom door clicked shut as Weiss began to speak once again.

"I see you enjoying yourself with Blake, but I just can't understand how a woman is pleasurable for another woman." She told Ruby, while she pulled out her combat skirt from a drawer.

"I've never been with a guy." Ruby giggled like a child, "But Blake just… She makes me so happy." Ruby's face grew red as her smile increase by double.

Weiss stared blankly at her for a moment before shaking her head, "That doesn't make much sense. Never mind then." She sighed as she checked her classes for the day on her scroll. The door clicked once more as Blake stepped out in her regular combat uniform, but in Ruby's eyes, she was looking better than ever. "Dibs!" Weiss shouted before running into the bathroom to change.

Blake stuffed her night gear into a drawer and slid it closed while she felt hands slip around her waist. "Why hello Ruby." She purred softly, as Ruby let a short giggle escape from her mouth. Ruby's lips connected with Blake's nape making Blake succumb to a pleasurable shudder. Blake turned to face her partner and planted a gentle kiss upon her soft lips, Ruby's constant desire. They both wanted to carry on, but classes called for them to get ready. "You know, you should've jumped into the bathroom before Weiss. That 'princess' takes forever to get herself prepared!" Blake laughed, rustling her hand through Ruby's bed hair much to her pleasure. Ruby clung onto Blake once more, rubbing her head against Blake's stomach and making a subtle purring noise as a pet would. "I'm the Faunus remember?" Blake chuckled before hugging her back when the door swung open, Pyrrha in Yang's arms.

"Thanks for the lift sweetie." Pyrrha giggled, pecking Yang delicately on the cheek followed by a more forceful kiss by Yang who was never the careful type. Yang and Pyrrha had been dating for a little over two months and were completely open about it, making them a huge beacon of encouragement for Blake and Ruby to get together. A certain blonde had begun to get closer to Pyrrha in classes and in the cafeteria. They started talking more and more until one moment when they were alone, magic happened for them; a day they'll never forget. They shared a kiss and their relationship bloomed from there, on a peaceful rooftop.

"You can wait here while I fix myself up!" Yang grinned, helping Pyrrha to the ground.

"Weiss is in there." Blake warned Yang as her hand reached for the doorknob. Yang looked at Blake quizzically.

"No, she's right there…" Yang pointed toward Weiss' bed where the heiress flicked through notes in one of her many piled notebooks.

"But… Uh… How?" Blake stuttered, completely lost making Ruby laugh under her breath, squeezing her waist tighter romantically.

Weiss looked up from her scribbles and mutter, "While you two were daydreaming over Yang and Pyrrha, I had come out of the bathroom."

Both Blake and Ruby had turn a light red in embarrassment. "We weren't daydreaming! We were just appreciating their relationship." Blake defended herself along with Ruby who backed her up by saying 'Yeah!

"Whatever. Point is, bathroom was free for Ruby." Weiss motioned her hand as if she was swatting bugs away from her face.

"Was?" Ruby questioned before focusing on the couple who was now a member short. "Aww!" Ruby complained, now leaning against her girlfriend.

"Should've been paying attention." Blake teased whilst tickling her under the armpit making the younger girl squirm a little in defence.

"Hey! Maybe someone should be looking out for me." Ruby rebutted, trying to pin the blame on Blake who gladly accepted it.

"That I should be." Blake whispered before puckering on Ruby's rosy cheek. Pyrrha watched this interaction in delight, seeing this relatively new couple be as cute as can be. This stopped when Ruby rushed past Yang who was exiting the bathroom, hair still messy and clothes creased.

Weiss stood from her bed and gathered a few books she'd need for the day. "I'm off to class now, who's coming with me?" She asked to everyone in the room. Pyrrha and Yang nodded, now ready to go while Blake shook her head.

"I'm going to wait for Ruby to be finished, you guys go on ahead." Blake smiled politely. Weiss left the dorm room followed by the couple holding hands. Pyrrha had grown to like Yang's rough hands although her grip was still a little too much for her. Yang on the other hand, enjoyed Pyrrha's soft hands, delicately looked after even after fierce battles.

A few quiet minutes past until Blake grew anxious of the long time it was taking Ruby to get ready. She knocked three times and called out to her, until she was approved entry by a small voice. "What's taking so long?" Blake asked as she peaked around the door until she burst out laughing, stumbling and bashing her arse into the carpet.

"Please be quiet!" Ruby shrunk into her clothing, trying to hide herself from the embarrassment.

"Don't worry, it's just some hair issues. I'll help you sort it out." Blake winked enchantingly. Instead of trying to push all of the hairs sticking up down, she styled Ruby's hair in a completely different way than normal. The long streak that use to rest along the side of her face was now tucked behind her ear while one side was combed like waves with lots of hairspray filling the room. Blake couldn't contain how happy she was with the new style she'd given her girlfriend. Ruby wasn't so thrilled, in fact, she hated how her hair was styled and was tempted just to rush her hands through it until it was a crazed mess and go to class like that. She didn't do it, she could easily see how happy the hairstyle made Blake which, in turn, made her happy. "So, do you like it?" Blake cheerfully smiled from ear to ear.

Ruby thought hard for a moment, deciding whether to tell her the truth or not. "I do." She smiled back. Blake squealed in delight until she noticed the time.

"We need to go!" Blake shouted, eyes wide and books piled into her arms.


	2. Welcome to Luck

Chapter Two: Welcome to Luck

The two entered class a minute before Professor Oobleck barged in and rushed behind his desk. Ruby sat close to Blake, holding hands under the table. Yang sat in front of Pyrrha who was required to sit with her team. Then Weiss sat next to Yang, book open and pen in hand, ready for the lesson to begin. "Welcome all and today we'll be continuing from last lesson about the great Faunus War." Oobleck spat out, making it harder and harder for the students to follow along with his jabbering. "So last time we discussed…" Blake zoned him out as her eyes focused more on Ruby, admiring her. Her nose twitched right before a sneeze occurred with a quiet 'choo'. Blake smiled, remembering all the little things she loved about her, from the way she chewed on the end of her pen during class so absentmindedly to the way she drew imaginary lines on the desk with her fingers. Blake enjoyed watching it all, so much so that she hadn't learnt anything in class for over a week, but she made up for it in study afterwards. Ruby on the other hand, she would half pay attention in class and then not study, not helping her pass exams.

The hour passed by quickly with loving eye contact with one another. The level of noise rose significantly as everyone stood from their seats and packed up their equipment. Frantically, Ruby grabbed all of the paper she'd been using to draw on throughout the lesson, hiding them away so no one could see them as they walked passed to leave the room.

"C'mon Ruby." Blake grinned, looking at her hairstyle.

"Coming!" Ruby smiled, filled with cheer. Their fingers locked together as they walked out of the classroom together. Some peers glanced their way, jealously and desire were the main factors. Their dorm room wasn't too far away from the class, but there was something off from the regular routine. Generally there wasn't a group of boys hanging outside their room with menacing smirks across their faces.

"Oh hello Miss Belladonna and Miss Rose, how are you doing today?" The leader of the group laughed. His name was Cardin from Team CRDL, or better known as an asshole. "Hey Sky." He called over to his teammate; a smug look still hanging around his face like some sort of plague.

His friend pushed himself off the wall and crossed his arms, his breathing loud enough for the two girls to hear. Blake straightened her back, standing taller, not wanting to back down. "What's up Cardin?" He chuckled, as if they'd rehearsed this.

"There is a rumour floating around, you heard of it?" Cardin's eyes squinted, piercing Blake's sense of security.

"Oh, I think I know what you mean. Is it the one about Blake Belladonna actually being a Faunus?" Sky leaned in closer, letting Blake feel his breath roll along her shoulder.

"Bingo!" Cardin cracked his knuckles, moving in closer to the couple. As he did, the rest of his team followed.

"Does this make her a lesbian Faunus?" Russel piped up. The second member of Team CRDL.

"I suppose it does… I suppose it does." Dove tilted his head to the side, biting his lip. Dove was the third member of Team CRDL.

"What a freak!" Cardin laughed, having to support himself against the wall. Blake tightened her grip on Ruby's hand, showing her fear, but only to Ruby, the person she trusted the most in the world. Her face was still plain, blank like nothing was happening. She didn't want to let them win.

"Hmm, maybe we should find out what Faunus she actually is?" Sky grinned, another breath hitting her cheek.

"Back off!" Ruby shouted, putting herself between Blake and them. She was shorter and younger than them, but her angry face was something to really fear.

"Oh dear, little Miss Ruby is going to defend her!" Cardin chuckled, moving her hand closer to Ruby, getting ready to whack her across the face. His arm swung, getting closer and closer until the hairs on his arm were touching her face. Ruby had caught his arm a centimetre before impact. Next she dug her fingernails in, watching his face turn from cocky, to pain. "Damn you!" Cardin growled as he pulled his arm back; rubbing it softly. Russel moved forward, ready to attack Ruby next. Ruby didn't let him have a chance to attack though. She swiftly kicked him in the gut, knocking him over onto the floor.

"What's your problem? Don't you have anything better to do than discriminate on someone who's done absolutely nothing to you? Get a hobby assholes." Ruby spat, pushing Cardin away from their dorm room door. Team CRDL moved away and down the hallway, back to their own dorm.

"You okay Blake?" Ruby pulled her older girlfriend into a hug.

"Yes thanks to you." Blake sniffed. Tears were now falling from her face. She was relieved and grateful. "You are amazing Ruby… I hope you know that." She showed a heart-warming smile before leaning in to kiss her girlfriend. Their lips connected with passion. Softly and zealously, their happiness grew. Blake pulled away first, sitting down on her bed. Yang was off with Pyrrha while Weiss would be studying in the library. "I'm… I'm nervous Ruby." The young girl's eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" Ruby panicked, sitting down next to Blake immediately.

"Have they found out… That I'm a… A…" Blake got chocked up on her own words. Ruby smiled and rubbed her back caringly.

"Who cares what they've found out? I've found out you're an amazing, lovely, cute, passionate woman. If you put what rude people feel towards you before people who actually love you, you're life isn't going to improve in any way. Think of what Yang, Pyrrha, Nora and I feel towards you way before CRDL and other scumbags." Ruby kissed her cheek.

Blake was still crying, but she was not upset. "Thank you Ruby. You truly are wonderful." Blake kissed Ruby's cheek in return. "But wait, what about Weiss?"

Ruby's eyes squinted, as her eyes focused on nothing in particular. "I can never figure out what she's thinking…"

Blake giggled, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend. "I love you Ruby." She snuggled her head into her neck and closed her eyes, reflecting on her current situation.

* * *

The next day, the students in Professor Oobleck's class left the classroom with a mixture of smiles and frowns. The results of a test came back to them that lesson. Blake was contempt with her mark, Weiss accepted hers and Yang laughed at her before slamming it back down on the desk. Blake couldn't read Ruby's face, but she seemed a little down. Ruby left the class without waiting for Blake, concerning her. Blake hastily followed Ruby, trying to catch up, but being caught in the crowd.

By the time Blake had reached the dorm, she heard the shower running and Ruby's books thrown onto her bed. "Ruby?" Blake called out towards the door.

"Hi…" Ruby replied after a few cold seconds. Blake was getting more and more concerned.

"Are you alright?" Blake asked. Ruby could hear the worried tone in her voice.

"I'm fine… It's… It's nothing really." Ruby sat against the bathroom door while Blake did the same on the other side. Blake didn't want to intrude, Ruby was still naked and would get embarrassed easily.

"Are you sure?" Blake felt like she was asking twenty questions, but she would ask hundreds if Ruby was on the other end.

Ruby let out a soft chuckled mixed with an exhale. "Yeah, I just did extremely poorly on the test…"

"Is that all? I could tutor you if you need." Blake smiled, relieved more than anything else.

Ruby opened the door slightly, only enough to fit an arm through. She held out her dripping wet hand for Blake to hold. "That would be nice." Ruby looked around the room, grabbing for her towel. "I wasn't expecting to get out of the shower so soon."

"Why's that?" Blake asked, not bothered by her wet hand.

"I hop in the shower when it all goes wrong. It really help me wash my worries away." Ruby smiled, "You should try it sometime. It works wonders I'm telling you."

"Oh does it now!" Blake laughed, squeezing the younger girls hand playfully.

"Perhaps I don't need to stay in the shower to clear my head. I've got you after all." Ruby pulled Blake's hand closer and kissed the back of her hand gently. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to dry off!" Ruby laughed, looking at the puddle she'd created. Blake sighed in pure happiness, realising the luck she had, even if it wasn't with her all the time, it was definitely spoiling her now.


	3. Welcome to Your Past

Chapter Three: Welcome to Your Past

Hazy figures became clearer after awaking. Blake looked down to see her girlfriend's head resting on her stomach. Arms wrapped around her waist and her legs tangled with Blake's. The Faunus chuckled before looking around the room to see who else was awake. Weiss' bed was made and the shower was pouring water in the bathroom while Yang bounced into the room with Pyrrha in her arms.

"Oi lazy bums!" Yang shouted, waking Ruby.

"Just five more… hours…" Ruby mumbled, pulling the duvet over her head. Pyrrha smiled at the younger girl, needing her sleep to grow.

Blake gently shook Ruby's shoulders. No response. "Fine, how about this then?" Blake shuffled down and planted her lips against Ruby's. Ruby's face turned a little redder as the kiss intensified. The power behind the kiss was overwhelming for the two girls who were taking it slow. The nervous younger girl gradually pushed her tongue out more, it making contact with Blake's lips.

"Oi!" Yang shouted once more. This snapped the two out of their trance immediately, both their faces a deep red. "We have class to go to." Yang smiled before removing herself and Pyrrha from the room. As they left, Ruby and Blake looked back into each other's eyes, thinking back to the kiss that occurred only seconds before. Without thinking, they both casually started moving towards one another. Their lips puckered and about to make contact as Weiss stormed out of the bathroom.

"Bathroom is fr… Gross, do that when you're alone!" Weiss spat in a half joking manner. Ruby and Blake separated again, the awkwardness between the two even greater this time. Weiss flicked her hair over her shoulder before leaving the two alone.

"We should probably get ready." Blake smiled. Ruby snuck a quick peck on the cheek before jumping off Blake's bed. The younger girl bounced her way to the bathroom, accidentally slamming the door behind her. The Faunus looked down to her scroll, flicking through her classes for the day. Her timetable told her that she was in for a good day, even better with Ruby by her side. She rummaged through her study books, picking what she needed to carry for her classes. The shower kicked on in the room beside her, hearing Ruby splash in, she smiled and sat down with a book in hand to wait her turn.

A loud knocking at the opened door caused her book to fall from her hands. "Hello Miss Belladonna. It's been a while." A voice drilled into Blake's ear. A sudden glance upwards determined who the voice belonged to.

"Adam! What are you doing here?" Blake's eyes had widened, her ears flicked back and her mouth fell open. His smug grinned was one she remembered. He was leaning against the doorframe with one hand, the other in his pocket.

"Why do you think? The White Fang wants you back." Blake swallowed her breath. "You were a valuable member for us and we regret ever losing you." Adam's grinned had turned to a more serious expression.

Blake stood from her bed, feeling as if she might need to fight. "I don't want to join the White Fang ever again!"

"A growl? That's not very nice. What happened to the young kitty who wanted to fight for her rights?" Adam cocked his head slightly.

"Go away. I don't want to deal with you." Blake glared, slowly feeling herself losing this small fight.

Adam stepped inside the dorm of Team RWBY. After a quick scan, he turned back to Blake, his face was completely expressionless. "I'm going to have to take more drastic measures."

A light coating of sweat appeared along the back of her neck, all from complete nervousness. "What… What do you mean?"

"I mean, someone's going to get hurt very soon if you keep refusing." The loud clicking of his neck drove his point home. Blake's mind began to race, but no matter what, she couldn't join the White Fang again.

"I… I can't do it! I won't do it!" Blake shouted. The water in the shower stopped running from the bathroom. "Just leave me and my better life alone!" Ruby busted out of the bathroom, wrapped only in a towel after hearing Blake's cries. Blake was on her knees in a panicked state with no one else in the room to be found, not even a trace.

"Blake? Blake?" Ruby repeated, trying to make contact with Blake's clouded mind. She snapped to a few seconds later. "Blake? What's wrong?" Ruby was almost in tears, seeing her beloved girlfriend in such a state. Blake did say a word, all she did was pulled her into a deep hug. The softness of Ruby's freshly washed skin along with the dampness of her wet hair was almost enough to make the Faunus cry in fear of loss.

"Ruby…" Blake whispered against her ear.

"Yes Blake." Ruby rubbed Blake's back gently, being as caring as possible without even realising.

"I love you… I don't ever want to lose you!" Blake's soft whispering turned into a powerful cry, pulling Ruby onto the floor beside her. Ruby was still lost in what was happening while she was in the shower, but all she currently needed to know was that Blake was safe and still loving her.

The younger girl gave Blake small kisses on the cheek between words of support, making Blake slowly feel better and getting her feelings under control. It had been just over an hour since Blake had her meltdown and was gradually recovering with Ruby's care. Ruby held Blake's hands caringly, staring into her eyes. "Blake, I'm not sure what happened before and it's fine if you don't want to talk about it right now, but I want you to know that you'll never lose me." Ruby smiled, her beaming love raining over Blake. This made her happy, but not thrilled like it normally would, since she could be targeted.

A knock at the door brought a slight tense throughout Blake's body. Ruby slipped her hands out of Blake's, walking up to the door. She cracked it open and peeked around this side, revealing Ozpin standing tall with a greeting smile. Ruby, realising she was still in her towel, readjusted it before welcoming the headmaster of Beacon Academy inside their dorm. "Hello Ruby. Hello Blake." Ozpin smiled, shutting the door behind him.

"Hi Sir." Blake mumbled from her bed.

"I'm sorry to intrude. Someone reported a scream from this area this morning and you two haven't attended class today, I just came to check up on you." Ozpin calmly spoke.

Ruby awkwardly shifted in her towel as she seated herself at the end of Blake's bed, double checking that she was covered up. "Yeah, sorry about that! We're all fine now, Blake's just not feeling too well and I thought I'd better look after her as team leader, that's all." Ruby smiled a convincing smile.

Ozpin gently nodded back at her. "Alright. If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask." He peacefully strolled out, opening the door and taking a careful look back at them. Once noticed by Ruby, he spoke again. "Just make sure you two catch up on today's activities." Ruby cheerfully nodded as he slowly closed the door.

"Now that he's gone, I'm going to change into some proper clothes!" Ruby sighed, hoping she hadn't accidentally flashed anything to her headmaster. Blake giggled, still tucked up lovingly in bed. Ruby disappeared into the bathroom to fit on her normal gear as Blake gradually drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Blake awoke by the sounds of three new people entering the room a few hours after she'd passed out. "Hey Blake." Yang smiled caringly. "How are you feeling? Ruby told us you're not feeling too well." She was crouched down next to Blake's bed with a hand resting on Blake's left arm.

"I'm feeling much better after a day of doing nothing." Blake plastered on a smile. It wasn't fake, but it could've been a little more genuine.

Yang rubbed up and down her arm a few times before speaking again. "That's great, just in time for the weekend!"

"Don't you and Ruby have plans for the weekend?" Pyrrha piped up, being the second new person in the room. Ruby enthusiastically nodded, filled with joy. "I hope you two have fun." Pyrrha gave her common heart-warming and crowd-pleasing smile, a beautiful one. Yang pulled Pyrrha into a deep hug, needing to after seeing her smile again.

"Blake… I hope… You feel better soon." Weiss struggled to say, not because she didn't mean it, but because she was speaking from the heart.

Blake sat up, adjusted her pyjamas and pushed herself out of bed. "Thank you Weiss." Blake smiled, walking over to her girlfriend. "Ruby, we have an appointment." Ruby looked blankly at her for a few seconds before her gears clicked.

"Oh right! Well you can't go like that!" Ruby grinned, rushing passed her to collect her normal clothing, her fighting gear. "Here." Ruby handed her clothing over to Blake then escorted her to the bathroom. Yang had left the room already, with Pyrrha in arms while Weiss had moved over to her bed, hitting the books.

Blake leant forward to whisper in the younger girl's ear. "Could… You come with me?"

Ruby blushed and panic became apparent. "I… Well I cou- I mean, yes, but, no… Wait! That's not… Uh…"

"Calm down, I just need you in there in case I feel faint." Blake smiled, finding it humour in the girl's short freak out. Ruby nodded, still as red as her cape. Ruby followed Blake inside, closing the door behind them. Ruby stared directly at Blake, waiting for her to change. "If you could please go to the corner and face the other way…" Blake shyly spoke. Ruby realised what she was doing causing her face to continue to grow redder. She spun on her heel to face the corner. Blake had removed her pyjama shirt and was fitting her bra around her back. "Do you think we're moving too slowly?" Blake asked suddenly.

Ruby thought for a moment, looking over what they'd done in the month they'd been together. "I don't think so. We hug, kiss and share a bed. I think that's good for a month."

Blake smiled, pushing her head through her shirt. "I was just thinking about Yang's relationship with Pyrrha. We often find them having full on make out sessions while we have just started kiss longer than eight seconds every now and then."

"Don't worry about it. Yang and Pyrrha have been dating for twice as long as us." Ruby spoke cheerfully. "We don't have to follow their pace either, right?"

"You're right." Blake grinned, feeling a little silly that a girl two years younger than her was smarter about relationships. "I'm just not very good at this sort of thing." Blake slipped off her pants, followed by her panties.

Ruby rested her head against the wall. "We'll go at our own pace. We don't need to follow anyone's expectations. Besides, if we take it slow, we can enjoy everything longer." Blake was positively thrilled to have a girl as polite and caring as Ruby to call her girlfriend. "And don't worry, I suck at this thing too. Remember how I asked you out?"

Blake laughed loudly, thinking back roughly a month ago. "You cannot play the banjo, why'd you think that was a good idea?" She was having troubles putting her pants on thanks to the giggle fit that was trying to squeeze its way through.

"I thought it'd be romantic…" Ruby pouted. She cheered up once Blake's arms wrapped around her chest. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Blake whispered. "I've been anticipating this all week." Blake planted a kiss on the back of Ruby's neck before they walked out together.

* * *

A short patch of grass is where the two of them laid. Hand in hand, they laid next to each other. The stars shone down brightly, highlighting all their imperfections, which to each other, were all perfections. "I can almost make a rose out of those stars there!" Ruby spoke passionately.

"You said the same about three different clusters…" Blake rolled her eyes, not annoyed, just poking fun at the young girl's excitement.

"Well that one looks like your kitty ears!" Ruby grinned, squeezing Blake's hand playfully. Blake was abruptly reminded of her encounter this morning. She could either re-join the White Fang and give up on her life at Beacon with Ruby or she could ignore the invitation and let someone close to her pay the price. She had to say something to Ruby, but words wouldn't come to her. She couldn't just casually mention Ruby's in danger.

"R-Ruby…"

"Yes Blake." Ruby rolled over to face her.

Blake swallowed. "What do you do when you don't know what to do?"

Ruby was taken aback by this sudden question. "Huh? Well, I'd go to you." Ruby smiled and pushed herself forward to place a kiss on Blake's cheek. "But before we were dating, I'd go to Yang, she's always there for me!" Ruby grinned, planting another kiss on Blake's cheek before rolling back over onto her back. "Hey, that one looks like a heart!"

Blake forced the White Fang to the back of her mind. She wanted to spend this night, with Ruby and Ruby alone.


	4. Welcome to Romance

Chapter Four: Welcome to Romance

The beaming sun delicately highlighted Ruby's pale skin, while Blake hid herself away with a large sunhat. Blake's personality had slowly changed over the past month, opening herself up to people more often, wearing dresses on days out and a smile upon her face more often than not. Ruby supported a causal red dress that faded to a black. The shoes she wore were anything but the high heels Weiss tried to convince her to wear.

Vale was bursting with colour and charming people on the warm Saturday. Street side magic shows, small bands slowly working their way to make it big and flowers blooming on every corner. Blake and Ruby's date was perfect to the two of them. Blake's 'quick' trip to the bookstore came first, greeted by a somewhat nervous looking man by the name of Tukson. A few books entered her personal library while Ruby was busting to visit one of the magicians who wore a funky hat. The magic was decent in Blake's mind, nothing special, but to Ruby, her mind was about to burst at the seams with disbelief.

Moving along their enjoyable day to themselves, Ruby spotted a clothing store with a corset much like her battle gear, but for a more casual situation. The younger girl gravitated towards it at an alarming rate. "I… Want… That!" Ruby smiled, glee filled her voice. Blake nodded and followed willingly, although popular clothing stores weren't necessarily her scene. Ruby snatched one of the corsets from the rack leaving only a few left. Her speed was outstanding when she had her eyes on something. Blake followed her to the changing room and patiently waited outside.

"Ta-da!" Ruby grinned, leaping out of the changing room with the corset fitting perfectly. Her twirl caused Blake to swoon a little, having to recompose herself, not feeling too comfortable in public. "How do you like it?" Ruby squeaked, running her hands along the comforting fabric.

Blake leant forward, quickly pecking Ruby on the lips before replying. "Beautiful, I'm sure it was made for you!" Ruby squeaked again, looking as though she was about to melt with enjoyment. Ruby grabbed at the price tag dangling from the bottom. Her eyes went blurry as she read the price, feeling her spirit being eaten away. Blake slid it out from her grip, smirking as she nodded. "Take it off."

Ruby shyly shuffled in place. "…I'm not really, uh, comfortable with that… Especially out here… "

"Wh… No!" Blake blushed. "Take it off in the changing room!" Ruby felt stupid, she knew her silly moments were fairly common, but she felt like they were becoming worse. Switching from overpriced corset to dress, she handed the corset over to Blake.

"What are you going to do?" Ruby asked, tilting her head slightly.

Blake chuckled. "This is what I'm going to do." She removed her hand from her bag, revealing a Schnee company card.

Ruby's eyes shot wide open. "But that's stealing!" Ruby screamed, causing people all over the store to look their way, all with dirty eyes. Ruby sighed, disappointed in herself, feeling the second stupid wave hit her.

"It's not! Weiss gave this to me to treat ourselves. Even though she can be a little… Actually I'm not going to say it… She is still a nice person deep down." Ruby nodded in agreement, thrilled her corset dream that only began roughly five minutes earlier, was about to become true.

For the whole date, neither of them had planned anything at all except one single event, the rest all just occurred as they walked. A small café nearing the edge of Vale. The place was the new kind of cute with the prices at pleasant rates. The door jingled as it open. A refreshing cool breeze hit them as they proceeded in. Ruby was still hugging the bag possessing her brand new corset. Blake chose a small table nearing the back of the café, preferring less people to see her as possible. Her thoughts like this made her feel like an outcast or secretly embarrassed about something. She definitely wasn't embarrassed about her adorable girlfriend, in fact, if she was the slightest bit more confident, she was certain she'd become the bragging type. It was her childhood, her history, her dark past that attacked her day to day life. Whether it was sitting at the back of the café or avoiding events, it was all caused by her past. Her book interest was perfect for her, being alone with words that could create different worlds, escaping to a better place. Books could take her anywhere, while life felt confined, trapping her to disaster. Ruby changes this outlook every day. Life slowly unravels its bars around her, freeing her more and more as the date changes on the calendar. Beyond the shadows left by her past, an image that vivified itself shone through. A young girl's smile.

Something pushed between her fingers, softly tightening the grip. Blake did the same to the small girl's hand as they sat across from each other at the table. A waiter stood tall and proper in front of them before asking politely, what they would like to order. Ruby ordered a chocolate muffin with chocolate chips on top; milk as her drink. Blake ordered a delicate-looking sandwich with a coffee.

"What are we going to do next?" Ruby smiled wide, seemingly thrilled with today's activities.

Blake thought for a moment, swirling her spoon around in her coffee. "We could search through more shops or go see that movie you wanted to see. Isn't it called something like 'Burning Excitement'?"

Ruby's face went bright red. "No, no, no, no! That is a completely different film! The one I want to see is 'Fickle Rose'." Blake nodded calmly, sipping at her hot drink. Ruby took large bites from her muffin in unattractive gulps which Blake tried her hardest not to laugh at; she failed at doing so. Coffee spilt onto the table with Blake's sudden laughing fit. Ruby seemed concerned until Blake collected herself again.

"When we get back to Beacon, I think I'll get Weiss to teach you some manners while eating." Blake smirked. Ruby frowned, wiping a chocolate smear off her chin in fake self-pity. "Perhaps we can visit the music store down the street from here. I'm sure your favourite band as released a new album!"

Ruby's eyes lit up, forgetting that entirely. "How did you know that?"

"Yang is a pretty decent sister. Treasure her." Blake smiled. "I was going to get you it as a present, but we might as well go get it together." Blake continued to smile as she grasped both of Ruby's hands tightly.

"Let's go then!" Ruby shouted, jumping out of her seat. Blake laughed, loving her enthusiasm, something she lacked herself. Blake paid with Weiss' card, feeling a little guilty at this point. The door jingled again as it closed behind them. "It's there!" Ruby pointed down the street, dashing forward, leaving Blake behind in a dazzling performance of rose petals. Blake leisurely followed, enjoying seeing her bounce off the walls. Ruby pressed her face against the window of the store, seeing the album shine inside. She was practically drooling until an explosion thundered out across the street. Both girls witnessed the eruption taking place. The store was a well-known dust store with heaps of different kinds to buy. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like some customers were choosing to buy their dust. A wolf's head stood out to Blake. The head had three claw markings running through it. The White Fang's symbol. Four Faunus' wore the uniform proudly, attacking the dust store like animals. Blake's anger was unmatched at this very moment, but at the same time, she was too scared to get involved. The White Fang had ruined her mentally and now they wanted her back to run errands for her. Blake looked to her side to grab Ruby's hand. Blake wanted to run and hide, not the ideas of a huntress at heart. Ruby was a huntress at heart and in mind. She wasn't at her side, instead she was dashing forward to protect the people of Vale. No weapon in hand, she scooped up a metal pole that became lost during the explosion. Swiftly, Ruby knocked two White Fang members to the ground allowing herself access to the dust store. She saw the employee at gun point inside shuffling dust into transport pipes.

"Come on, we don't have all day!" One of the brutes shouted, bashing a large axe into the counter for intimidation purposes only. In a flurry of petals, Ruby appeared next to the assumed leader, whacking his beefy thigh with the metal pole amounting to nothing. His axe cut deep into the floor boards while Ruby bounced backwards, getting ready for another attempt, aiming higher. Pushing herself off of the ground, she slammed the metal pole into the back of his neck, knocking him down to the ground without a second hesitation.

"Ruby!" Blake called out, rushing in to help.

"Watch out!" Ruby cried, seeing three White Fang looters chasing after. Blake spun around on her heel, pulling herself into a fighting stance. Blake dodged a quick slice from a sword and ducked under a bullet. Three bullets penetrated a husk of Blake as she appeared next to them. She kicked one in the stomach and punched another in the cheek. The last swung his sword, cutting the sleeve of her shirt, but luckily missing everything else. Ruby began to move in to help Blake until something caught her ankle. The leader's meaty hand squeezed Ruby's leg, dragging her closer along the ground. "Ah, stop!" She yelped. He quickly grabbed her metal pole from her grasped and walloped it against the back of her head. Ruby stopped struggling as it made contact.

Blake disarmed the attacker and knocked him to the ground. "Ruby." Blake looked over to the man standing over the bleeding body beneath him. "Ruby!" Blake screamed, hurting her throat. "Ruby!" The crying Faunus sprinted towards Ruby, falling to her knees early and scraping them as she slid to the body of her girlfriend. The looters quickly grabbed the dust they had time to collect and made tracks as fast as they could. Emergency Services would be called in no time with how much racket had been made, they were lucky that they hadn't already arrived. Blake rolled Ruby over to check her other side. Her face was completely expressionless, almost lifeless. Blake checked her pulse and thankfully, her heart was still beating. The Faunus rolled her back onto her stomach to slow the blood. "Ruby…" Blake sobbed, tears dropping onto her back. "Ruby…"

The noise of sirens grew louder and louder until medics and the police arrived at the scene. They pushed Blake aside as they took Ruby away into the ambulance. "Ruby! I want to go!" The police grabbed Blake by the arms, stopping her from chasing after the ambulance. "Don't leave me… Alone…"


	5. Welcome to the Rain

** Author's Note: ** **Finally another chapter. I've planned this chapter for a full year now and it seems to be bad timing, but I wanted to get this out.**

**Rest in Peace Monty Oum. RWBY has given all of us so much in the way of entertainment. I wouldn't have started writing without RWBY. I wouldn't have gotten into anime without RWBY being my gateway between anime and western animation. I wouldn't have met some wonderful people without RWBY. Thank you, Monty.**

Chapter Five: Welcome to the Rain

The room was uncomfortably silent. Nobody wanted to make a sound. All seven of them sat in painful quietness. Blake sat with her arms hugging herself, sore, red eyes and an aching throat. Tears had poured down, but now, the remnants left were just streaks of agony.

Yang also suffered from the same depression, sitting in the waiting room, hoping for a positive word about her sister. She had not expected anything like this would happen from a simple date in Vale. Her sister was a few rooms down, locked away from her sight. The corridors were busy, nurses, doctors and civilians constantly moving passed them, but they didn't exist to Yang and Blake. They could only focus on the situation at hand. Ruby had been knocked out instantly by a White Fang looter a few hours earlier. No one had come out to tell them she was going to be okay, not a word from anyone.

"Here." A friendly voice cracked Blake's isolated glass dome. Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon Academy had shown. His smile was odd, potentially broken. He held out a cup of hot chocolate to Blake. She didn't move to take it, she just stared blankly at him. Her mind too foggy to think straight. He nodded and placed the steamy beverage beside her chair on an uneven table. The drink rested underneath a dying flower, begging for life. A burgundy rose. Most of its petals lay on the floor, only a few hanging on. Its thorns were many, sharp and dangerous. 'A pity to ruin such a beautiful flower with a tragedy.' Blake's only thought on the matter.

Her shaking hand gripped the hot chocolate loosely and dragged it to her mouth. Ozpin had moved on to Yang now, putting a caring hand on her back. Yang's tears were refreshed with Ozpin's kindness. Blake couldn't feel anything, not the warmth of the hot chocolate, not the fear of Adam's words, not the pain of potential loss. Everything was black and white surrounding her. 'No wonder the flower's dying…' Blake thought with a long exhalation. Her mind was just blocking out the potential wounds.

"Your sister is an incredibly tough kid. Why do you think I took her on board two years early?" Ozpin grinned, giving his support. His attempts to lighten up the grim mood seemed ineffective.

"She… She is incredible and tough… But if anything has happened… I don't know what I'd do!" Yang's tears drove down her cheeks at tremendous speeds.

Pyrrha, seated on the other side of Yang, pulled her into a hug whispering phrases such as "Everything is going to be fine!" and "Nothing can stop Ruby for long!" Although Yang knew those were the typical words to use, she couldn't deny that they calmed her down.

"If you hear any news, please alert me." Ozpin told the seven of them. "I'm sorry but I need to be back at Beacon. I'm already in enough trouble for leaving my desk at this time!"

The seven returned back to being quiet.

* * *

Over the passing time, people had come and gone from the corridor. As it was now, only the three members of Team RWBY and Pyrrha remained. The door clicked open. Blake's sore eyes shot upwards, seeing a doctor remove himself from Ruby's room. He stood tall, clipboard in hand. His fingers fumbling, tapping and jittering; never good signs.

"How is she?" Yang spoke up, hearing the pain in her throat.

The doctor took a deep breath in. "We are still doing tests, but… It seems that she is in a comatose state." The air in the room suddenly became much heavier. Blake was having a hard time breathing, beginning to choke. Yang grabbed onto Pyrrha tightly, shoving her face against her chest. Weiss sat motionless, never having a single thought of Ruby being taken down like that. The Faunus dropped to her knees, rubbing her throat. Tears she didn't realise she'd created puddled onto the floor. Blake clenched her fist, drawing blood from her palm. The doctor had already left, feeling terrible about delivering the news.

"Ru… Ru…" Blake choked, feeling her body losing energy. "Ruby!" She screamed, her throat beating with her heart. Blake opened the door without a second thought. Ruby was unconscious, with only the loud beeping from the ECG machine in the corner. Her face was sour, a frown of sorts. Her hair was a dishevelled mess, completely different to the styled look she had prior to the last few events. Blake collapsed on the ground, her face deeply buried in her hands. Tears pooled in her palms. "Ruby…" She croaked.

Yang had not entered yet. She really didn't know if she wanted to; she really didn't know if she could take it. Her body felt heavy and tired, being weighed down by fear as all of her hope slithered away. The lights were blurring as Yang dragged her shaking hands to her teary eyes. Pyrrha was frozen, scared for Yang's wellbeing. A sudden loud, throat-burning scream shook the walls as Yang fell against the closest wall, trying to hold it for support. Her tears dripped down her chin repeatedly.

Nora and Ren sat silent, they knew any feelings of sadness could never be compared to those from her team. Weiss also sat with them, forcing herself to believe Ruby was fine. It's all a practical joke right? Right…?

"Ruby… Ruby…" Blake muttered on loop, slowly crawling to Ruby's side. Her whole body aching. The cold floor stung her body as she slid along it. "Ruby…" A trail of tears mapped out her every movement. "Ruby!" Blake continued to cry as she rose from the ground to view Ruby's slumber. "Ru…" Blake clutched onto Ruby's arm, pressing her stained cheek up against it. "Don't leave me…"

* * *

The sun crept beneath the horizon, hiding from the night sky. Nora, Pyrrha, Ren, Yang and Weiss had all gone back to Beacon Academy, but Blake stayed firmly by her side. Her bloodshot eyes kept a close watch on Ruby's breathing. If she's breathing, there is still a chance; still hope. Unknowingly, Blake gripped Ruby's bed sheets as tightly as she could.

"You're gonna be okay… You're gonna be okay… You're gonna wake up tomorrow with your beautiful and cheerful smile… You're gonna be okay…" Blake repeated with a whisper. Her head laid in the dampness of her own tears. Ruby's face still frowning as the beeping became natural in Blake's ears. The monochrome room felt malicious, containing Blake's love and hope, not giving any signs of giving it back to her. Blake began to cry aloud again. Her throat still burning.

"Blake…"

The Faunus' eyes shot upwards, looking at the young girl. She hadn't moved. She hadn't spoken. Blake's whole body was shaking.

"Hey, Blake." Two hands dropped onto her shoulders. "You need to get some sleep. Come on back to Beacon." Blake looked behind her to see Pyrrha with her winning smile, although it seemed off slightly; a little too forced. Blake didn't respond with words, just shrugging her hands off and squirming closer to her unconscious lover. "Blake." Pyrrha walked next to her and crouched. "You need to come back and get some sleep. Everyone else doesn't need more to worry about." Blake's eyes shut tight. "Ruby's going to be fine, you just need to trust in her." Blake nodded faintly, but her grip didn't loosen up in the slightest. "Come on then." Pyrrha held out a hand. With a firm grip, Blake held onto Pyrrha's hand, pulling herself up. Her lasting gaze on Ruby was fading as she looked away. She realised that she needed to sleep, but it was painful to take steps away from her love.

"We'll come back first thing tomorrow. Alright Blake?" Pyrrha smiled, trying her best to make Blake feel the littlest bit better. Blake simply nodded again. As they left Ruby's room, Blake noticed Yang was sitting outside. "We're ready Yang." Pyrrha spoke quietly. Yang couldn't face Ruby, it was way too painful to see her little sister on her potential death bed. The blonde girl slowly stood from her seat and silently walked alongside Pyrrha and Blake. The slow and long walk back was quiet and utterly painful.

* * *

The three girls tiptoed through Beacon Academy, trying not to wake any other students up. It didn't take long for them to close in on their dorms. Pyrrha hugged both girls for an extended period of time before retreating back into her dorm. Blake and Yang slowly pushed their door open. The first thing they both did was look up at Ruby's hanging bed. Both girls tightened their fists and continued walking into the room. Yang pulled herself up onto the top bunk as Blake collapsed onto her bed. She grabbed her pillow with both hands and pushed her face into it. Soft cries from both girls were muffled into their own pillows as Weiss laid awake, hearing both girls let out their feelings. Soon enough, Weiss was fighting to hold back tears.

"You need to be okay… You need to be okay… You need to wake up tomorrow with your beautiful and cheerful smile… You need to be okay…" Blake mumbled before her sorrow put her to sleep.

** Author's Note: ** **I hope this chapter was alright. I had some large breaks while writing it. There is a poll on my profile and I would be very grateful if you could go vote on it. Thank you all.**


	6. Welcome to the Downpour

Chapter Six: Welcome to the Downpour

The pillow was uncomfortably damp, but that didn't matter. Blake felt like nothing truly mattered. The tears kept falling, but that didn't matter. Her bed was miserably empty and cold. She did not have someone else's hair in her face, nor did she have arms wrapped around her body. The bed was a resting place for her despair. Strange noises were beginning to sound out. As Blake slowly looked around to investigate, she noticed that it was coming from herself. The sound of weeping. She tried and tried, but couldn't snapped out of it. Her body felt weak and sore with red and black eyes to match.

"Oh you're up. Good morning." Weiss smiled. Unusual…

"Hi." Blake muttered. The morning wasn't good unless Ruby was out of hospital and running around like her usual energetic self.

Weiss sat down on her bed, flicking through books on her nightstand. "How are you feeling?"

"Shit." Blake sighed, struggling to push back her duvet. Weiss was tempted just to end the conversation there, obviously not getting anywhere. The heiress opened the window, letting the sunlight flutter inside. The Faunus rolled onto the carpet, trying to force her mind on school work. Today was a Monday, the beginning of a new school week. "Yang?" Blake asked, looking in Weiss' general direction. She seemed to forget a few words to make it a proper sentence, but Weiss understood what she was asking.

"She's in the JNPR dorm, cuddling up to Pyrrha." Weiss sighed, sorting out her stationary for the day ahead. Her head was planted firmly on her shoulders, trying her absolute best to ignore the bad news of yesterday. "Well I'm off. We have Port first." Weiss mucked around with her things, getting everything she could to be picture perfect. "Don't worry if you're late. It's just an excuse for him to eye you up a little longer…" Weiss rolled her eyes, slowly pulling the door shut behind herself.

Blake curled up on the carpeted floor, letting the tears continue to flow. Weiss had done nothing but remind her that she no longer has someone to go to for problems. Yang could go straight to the caring arms of Pyrrha, but Blake had lost the one person who made her feel like a proper member of society. The one person who brought the true Blake Belladonna to the surface. Her cries and sobs continued to fill the room.

Ten minutes had passed by with Blake in the same position as before. She was beginning to realise that the day was slipping away, but she thought it over and… Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Going against the melancholy thoughts bouncing around her head, she rose to her feet; albeit, precariously.

_"I hop in the shower when it all goes wrong."_

Blake leant against the closest wall with one hand, thinking back to the words of her girlfriend. The miserable Faunus nodded to herself, following with what Ruby had said to her. She clicked the bathroom door shut and flicked on the water.

In a ball outside the RWBY dorm room, in the middle of the corridor, was Weiss. Weiss the proud heiress from the Schnee Corporation was crumpled to the floor, letting her own tears fall. For the past ten minutes, she sat outside, hearing Blake's sniffs and moans until she couldn't take it anymore. The titled, Snow Angel, couldn't hold back the tears anymore. She was fully aware that her attitude towards Blake wasn't exactly kind or caring. She was fully aware that Blake needed someone to cry to, but Weiss was scared of that responsibility. After all, she just wanted to cry too. Ruby was her partner and as much as the younger girl seemed to get under her skin, she was still extremely special to her. Ruby was always cheerful, even in the darker times and she would be the perfect person to cuddle up to right now. In there lies the problem.

Blake stood completely still in the shower, watching the droplets of water run down her long hair and dropping off at the end. The warm water coated over her entire body, embracing her in what she wished was a hug, but it was nothing she had hoped for. The shower let her alone with her thoughts, but honestly, it wasn't helping Blake at all. She just stood there. Stood there in complete misery.

* * *

Yang buried herself in Pyrrha's warm arms while the rest of JNPR got ready for their day ahead. Pyrrha rubbed Yang's back on loop in a certain pattern. "I don't want to go to classes today…" Yang mumbled, being slightly muffled by Pyrrha's bare arm.

"I'm sure you'll be allowed to skip the day. I wouldn't expect you, Blake or Weiss to show up to anything today." Pyrrha gave a smiled, kissing her delicately on the forehead. Yang nodded, much like an upset child would.

Jaune sat down on his bed, fixing up his socks. "Are you going to go and see her today?"

Yang didn't respond straight away, making Jaune go over what he said, hoping to God he didn't say anything too insensitive. "Maybe… I don't want to see her like that though. She… She was always smiling…" Yang began to bawl. Jaune felt guilty and walked into the bathroom to escape the awkwardness of the situation. Nora just gave a weak smile, trying to help things without getting herself too involved in it all.

"Come on you two, we need to get moving." Nora shouted, breaking the atmosphere immediately. Jaune took a few breaths to calm himself down and left the bathroom to follow Nora into the hallway. "You coming Renny?" Nora beamed. He simply held up a finger and Nora understood that he'll catch up. "Alrighty, come along Jaune." She laughed, linking arms with Jaune and dragging him down the corridor.

Pyrrha helped Yang to her feet. "Let's get you back to your dorm. I'll stay with you for as long as I can, alright?" Yang nodded and gave a Pyrrha a small peck on the cheek. That was all Yang could muster up the strength to do.

Ren placed a hand on Yang's shoulder. "You should go visit her as much as you can…" Ren looked directly in her eyes. She nodded once more, letting another tear slid down her red cheeks. Pyrrha closed the door behind herself. "…Because you'll never know when she'll be gone…" He mumbled to himself, turning back to his books.

* * *

Blake stumbled through the streets of Vale, having left before Yang entered. Her hair was still damp from her shower, but she didn't care. She gripped her wallet tightly as she slipped through the crowds of pedestrians. She decided to get Ruby a little gift before visiting and had settled on flowers, a standard route.

She stood before the flower store. On any normal day, she'd feel overwhelmed and amazed by the amount of flowers that were pouring out of the little shop, but today, they were all tinted grey.

The shop keeper greeted her with a usual line; one that he'd say to any customer. Blake immediately walked in front of the roses. There were many different colours other than the red she was planning on buying. Blake reached for the ruby rose although something else caught her eye. It was the burgundy roses that she saw yesterday. She only really remembered them due to the pathetic, gloomy feeling they were giving as they withered away on their deathbed.

Blake lifted one up, examining it a little closer. "Ah, a wonderful choice." The worker grinned. "Want to hear what that flower represents?" Blake nodded, not wanting to be rude. "The burgundy rose commonly means 'unconscious beauty'. I think that is quite nice, don't you?" The shop keeper had a large smile upon his face, most likely happy with the fact he got to speak some of his flower knowledge. Blake's decision was made then. Although the meaning of the flower wasn't as literal as Blake decided it to be, it was still a fitting flower nevertheless. Quickly she brought a small bouquet of the burgundy roses, swiped her card and thanked the man before rushing out the door.

Her next location was the Vale hospital. She never told anyone that she wasn't attending classes today, although she was sure everyone assumed anyway. Weiss was busy stuck into her school work. It definitely helped get her mind off of Ruby while Yang slept the day away in her bed since Pyrrha had to attend her classes.

The Faunus walked onto the shiny tiles at the entrance of the hospital, heading straight for the elevator. She thumped the button to send her to the floor she wished to be on and pushed up against the wall, avoiding any other people in the elevator with her. Blake clutched onto the bouquet tightly as the elevator rose. Children with wide smiles stared up at their parents, they're every move screamed happiness. "So Violet is coming back home today?" A child bounced up and down with utter joy. The mother nodded with a bright smile. "Yay! I can't wait!" Blake's accidentally cold look scared a little joy out of him as he gripped his mother's jeans. She'd normally feel bad, but she couldn't care less, the kid was making her feel worse.

The door opened a few floors too soon so the family could leave on their floor. "Isn't that nice. That kid is so excited." An old man chuckled, feeling his heart had been warmed. "I hope who ever you're visiting is doing well." His smile was oddly lifting, but at a hospital, everyone not working is visiting the potential dead. He was no different and at his age, it could be anyone from his wife to an old mate and it's likely that they won't leave. Blake's mind was stuck on the negative, no matter what smiles beamed her way. "Have a good day." He continued to smile as the door to Blake's floor opened. The Faunus stepped out of the elevator before getting stopped by the man. "And keep your head up, everything will work out in the end." He stepped back into the elevator. She watched him until the doors closed.

It didn't take long for her thoughts to click back to Ruby. She glanced down to her flowers which were still as perfect as when she brought them. Ruby's room wasn't too far down the corridor so the walk was swift. Blake opened the door slowly, preparing to see her love in the horrible situation. She made an audible gulp as she sat down on the chair next to Ruby's bed. Not a word had been spoken yet, Blake simply fitted the flowers into a small vase of water that rested on the bedside table of every room. The only noise in the room was beeping and Ruby's breathing. Blake stared down at her feet. "Burgundy roses… I thought you might like them… But I don't know…" Blake mumbled into her chest. "How have you been?" Blake paused as if she was going to respond. Placing her hands against her face, she let out tears. She felt pitiful for trying to act like she was conscious, but her heart ached too much. "I've… Been better…" Blake cried out into Ruby's bed sheets.

Three hours later and Blake was fading in and out of consciousness. She was tired of crying, tired of her thoughts, tired of life. "Ruby… I'll come visit you every day… Every day until you're back on your feet… Then it's your turn to come visit me in my bed, alright?" Blake pushed herself to sit upright. "Then it's a deal!" She sniffed, wiping her cheeks. She leant over and kissed the young girl on the cheek. "The nights have been cold and lonely without you wriggling about." She let out a pathetic laugh. "Sorry… If I'm not great company…" She sniffed again, grabbing Ruby's left hand with both of hers. She let her head fall back onto the bed, closing her eyes.

* * *

_Darkness. That's all that was around me… That's what was swallowing me… The sounds of footsteps became louder and louder as a man stepped out of the dark. His devilish smile was too familiar for my liking. Adam stood tall, one hand clutching the hilt of his sword. "I'm going to have to take more drastic measures." His words felt cold and evil._

_"What… What do you mean?" My cowering voice was apparent, but I just couldn't do anything about it. My whole body was shaking. His intimidation was demanding._

_"I mean, someone's going to get hurt very soon if you keep refusing." He clicked his neck while his smile stayed strong. A small chuckle followed as the darkness swallowed him along with me soon after._

* * *

"Blake…" A weak voice resonated. "Blake." Her eyes snapped open and looked up at the girl laying in front of her. She was still unconscious. A hand landed on Blake's right shoulder. "Blake, don't you think it's time to return to Beacon?" Weiss asked, looking out the window showing the dark night streets of Vale. Blake didn't have the strength to argue, she was sleepy and aching. Weiss helped her to her feet and slowly walked out of the room. Yang sat outside with Pyrrha in tight arms.

The two girls looked up at them. "We ready?" Pyrrha asked with her famous smile. Weiss nodded, continuing to help Blake to the elevator. Blake didn't make eye contact with Yang. The two felt the same, yet, so different. Weiss pressed the ground floor button and the rest of the walk was silent.


	7. Welcome to the Breakdown

** Author's Note: ** **It's been almost a year since the last update. I can't apologise enough for that, but I'm not letting this series die yet. I find it rather difficult to actually write this story so please bear with me like you have been so far. I hope to update more frequently than once a year in the future so let's hope I can do that!**

**Parts of this chapter was written right after the previous chapter, so if there is some weird differences in places, that'll probably be the reason. I hope you enjoy and if you've forgotten what's been happening (which is likely), please read (or scan) the previous chapters to refresh yourselves. Thank you!**

Chapter Seven: Welcome to the Breakdown

The rose was dying and it'd only been a day. Blake stared at it with her mind elsewhere. It just reminded her of the sudden disappearance of Ruby's smile. Blake rubbed her fingers across the hospital bed sheets that Ruby rested upon. No sign of waking had been given, but Blake still firmly believed that Ruby will be up and bouncing around tomorrow, if not, the next day, or the day after that.

She hadn't attended a class since Adam's visit. Ozpin decided he'd look the other way for a little while and cut her some slack, but Blake was fully aware that soon enough he'd be asking about her reappearance in class.

It was already late, approaching eight. The Faunus was prepared to face Weiss or whomever it is this time to drag her away from the pale sleeping beauty. She sighed heavily, feeling weak. Sleep had not been kind to her and neither had her own mind. Blake avoided every mirror and every person, wanting little to do with anyone else or herself.

"Blake." Weiss spoke, leaning against the door frame. "It's time." Blake nodded. Weiss was happy that she no longer refused, but that was simply because she didn't have the energy to do so. "You need some rest."

Blake didn't respond for a few seconds, rubbing her tired face. "I know what I need…" She muttered coldly. Weiss let the attitude pass, not wanting to start something while everyone, including herself, is still mourning. Surprising herself, she had managed to keep up the strong act in front of everyone, but her time alone was harsh.

"Oi…" Blake groaned. "Hit that damn button already…" Weiss had lost herself in thought since they entered the elevator. Snapping out of it, she activated the button to take them to the ground floor. The elevator ride was a repeat of the previous night, silent.

As the doors opened, the two watched as a mass of people rushed between one another trying to sort out whatever was happening. It seemed serious. Weiss took the first cautious step forward, noticing a small group of people getting wheeled inside the hospital. At a quick glance, their faces were bloody, one had a line of skin peeled from their forehead down to their top lip. Bruises littered down their exposed limbs, purple and black.

The staff shouted, trying to fight through the crowd to get the injured help. Everything was frantic, wild, unbelievable, all up until someone uttered the words, "White Fang."

Blake choked on that poisonous name, feeling ill just thinking about it. Her heart sank once she realised those people could end up like Ruby, or worse. She couldn't handle sticking around any longer. Her pace was fast, barely giving the automatic door a chance to open wide enough. Weiss hastily followed. The heiress knew Blake wasn't going to be any happier after seeing that, but once outside, it only got graver. There were more, some were on their feet, hoppling. Others were completely out of it.

"Oliver!" A cry echoed through all the other screams and murmurs of the audience and actors. Weiss squinted through the silhouettes on the lit up entrance of the hospital, locating the person behind the heart-breaking screech. It was a young woman, face riddled with small cuts, as if someone was playing a game before help arrived. Her clothing was worn and tattered, like she'd tried to run somewhere. Wire clung to her foot, stuck through in multiple places. But finally, Weiss thought about the name. Next she saw a man being wheeled out of the crowd. His feet had the same problem, but a lot severer. Blood soaked into the thin sheets on which he laid. His bottom lip was partially missing as was his shirt. Markings on his chest resembled the logo of the infamous gang of racial supremacists.

This was way worse than anything they'd done before. Beginning with protests and going to violence was one thing, but this was far worse. This was a terrorist attack.

The red flashing lights of medical vehicles was blinding as another car pulled up with two more injured. It was painful to see this much hurting in one glance.

Weiss bit her lip and looked the other way. "Come on, Blake. Let's get back to Beacon." She quickly grabbed the hand of her teammate, pulling her away.

In a fluid motion, Blake snapped her hand away from her. "I can walk by myself!" Weiss watched on as the shadow of the girl marched forward, but going nowhere. Her hands curled into fists as she followed her.

Most of their time together was just silent. Blake didn't want to speak and Weiss never knew what to say. The heiress felt heartbreak just from watching the Faunus attempt to deal with this on her own. _I have to say something! I never know what is going on inside her head though…_ Weiss' mind pained. She tried to get a better look at the depressed teammate, but her speed was hard to beat. A certain rose would have caught up to her by now.

On the top of a generous hump of land, the pavement had become steep. Fewer buildings surrounded this area. This walkway was one of the quietest routes to Beacon if you didn't mind the steeper roads and longer walk.

The streetlights illuminated the path before them. Weiss noted the bright light bouncing off Blake's pale complexion as her steps seemed to be slowing.

"Weiss…" Blake murmured, not looking back.

Weiss' eyes shot open, not expecting Blake to initiate conversation. "Ah, yeah? What is it?"

Her movement slowed down, almost to a complete stop. "Why…" Weiss looked at her quizzically. "Why don't you seem to care about Ruby's condition? I know she annoyed you sometimes, but are you really that heartless to shrug it all off?" Blake's voice was getting louder after every word. "She's your teammate and she… She might not wake up! So why are you so carefree?" Streams of tears rushed down Blake's puffy cheeks. She was screaming at this point. Weiss was dumbfounded, unable to utter a word in refute. "If it was Yang or myself in that position, I'd hate to see how you'd react! Ruby showed you nothing but kindness and laughs, but you… Do you not miss it? The smile? The giggle? The large heart?" Her breathing was rash, her throat burning. Her amber eyes locked onto Weiss' face, the surprise keeping her still. Blake turned, taking one step away from the heiress as she wiped her tears off her sore face. "I guess that cold Schnee blood does run deep."

As her feet tapped along the pavement, her heightened hearing noticed a faint sobbing behind. A sour taste still stinging her tongue, she spun on her heel to see the sorry state of the high and mighty heiress. Collapsed on the walkway, her shoulders hunched by her head and her hands furiously ripping at the falling tears. The crying became louder as Blake watched on.

The Faunus hesitated, glancing around the immediate vicinity. The stoic expression from before had crumbled away leaving a red mess. Almost in an instant Weiss had broken down behind her.

"Y-You think you're the only one… The only damn one who misses her…" It was difficult to make the words out from the sobbing heap under the beaming streetlights. "I miss her… I miss her so damn much… But…" Taking a hasty breath to keep her consciousness with her, she interrupts her own sentence. "But I can't let that show!" Saliva shoots from her whimpering lips as she keeps her train of thought rolling. "If I let that show, that'll only make things worse right?! I have to keep the straight face and normal attitude to help you and Yang, but if all I get is… Is loathing from you, is it worth the anguish I'm feeling?"

Blake continued to stare on, overwhelmed. The shoe was on the other foot.

"I fucking miss her… Yes, I miss her smile and her giggle and most definitely the large heart!" The tears didn't let up. "I may act taller than you all, but that is just me. That doesn't mean I don't love you all and it doesn't mean I won't miss any of you… And now that Ruby…" Hiccups enveloped her vocal screaming. "That Ruby… Is in this state… I've been crying every damn day, just like you!"

Reaching a hand towards the heiress, Blake took a few steps closer. "I may not be her sister or her lover, but I still care for her…" The hand softly gripped the smaller girl's side, pulling her in for a hug. The embrace was tight and warm, but Weiss couldn't stop crying, her sobbing being heard a long way away. Blake failed to stop herself from tearing up again. The two cried together on the pavement for over an hour.

"I'm sorry," was all Blake muttered through her tears.

* * *

The door creaked viciously as it opened. Flicking the light on, the room's shine burnt their eyes. Blake had helped Weiss into the room, leading her to her own bed. "T-Thank you, Blake…" Weiss spoke, her eyes already shut for the night. Without getting under the covers, Weiss dozed off.

The Faunus pulled her ribbon loose and disrobed. Looking down, thoughts flooded her of her past. The cruel workings of the White Fang and their frightening violence. Linking back to their latest work tonight, Blake couldn't stop a furious shiver from enveloping her. Her body only reminded her that she was once part of that group of terrorists. Scowling, she quickly slipped on her nightwear and rubbed her ears. The fur tickled her fingers.

 _Weiss…_ She couldn't hide her surprise and now her guilt. _I didn't notice how badly you were hurting… I'm sorry…_ While it wasn't unreasonable for Blake to be wrapped up in Ruby's incident… Ignoring Weiss' feelings completely was unacceptable.

Ruby… Her past… Those injured tonight… They all have one relation. The White Fang. Flicking her scroll on, she scanned the news sites. Every one mentioned the attack of the violent group. Sweat dripped down her neck. Rushing into a beachside restaurant, attacking at will, stealing and destroying, there wasn't a trace of the original White Fang, the one Blake supported. Unprovoked and unnecessary. What happened to the peaceful protests?

Her scroll lit up with a notification. _1 New Message_. Tapping with her middle finger, the sender was unknown.

_'If you join us, this will all end.'_

_BANG!_ She threw her scroll across the room, it smashed against the wall above Weiss who still laid unconscious. "A-Adam…" Her eyes wide and breathing gone, she stared at the dent her scroll made against the wall. "Adam!" She cursed, her fright twisting into anger. "You… You will pay for what you've done to Ruby…" Standing, she stormed to the bathroom and slammed the door, locking it behind herself.

With the shower on, she disrobed once more and entered the stream of warming water. Her fist slammed into the shower wall. "You've hurt not only me, but civilians and Ruby… What the fuck do you want from me so badly?!" Her screaming was muffled by the shower, but Yang could still hear her from across the hall.

Her red eyes and sore features washed over her, sliding down the wall onto the floor. "…Ruby…"

** Author's Note: ** **Hope you liked it. Please comment and give kudos if you feel like it. If you noticed any mistakes, don't hesitate to tell me!**


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